A person’s favourite films can be surprisingly revealing, offering a glimpse into their tastes, values, and quirks. I’ve always loved learning what movies resonate with notable figures, from Hollywood icons to world leaders, and apparently… even the pope. In a newly released video, Pope Leo XIV, the first head of the Catholic Church to be born in the United States, unveils his four favourite movies.
Pope Leo’s four favourite movies are Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, Robert Wise’s The Sound of Music, Robert Redford’s Ordinary People, and Roberto Benigni’s Life Is Beautiful. Nothing too unexpected there, but the Pope was hardly about to use the moment to tout his love of the Terrifier movies. I’d count It’s a Wonderful Life among my favourites as well, and even Frankenstein director Guillermo del Toro declared it to be his favourite holiday movie. Many online are pointing to Life Is Beautiful as the weak choice, but hey, people are entitled to like what they like.
Upon its release in 1997, Life Is Beautiful was a critical and commercial success, earning Benigni an Academy Award for Best Actor and Best Foreign Language Film (I’ll never forget him climbing over Steven Spielberg’s seat). However, many now view it as an overly sentimental take on the Holocaust, which is a weird f***ing thing to say. It’s been a while since I last watched the film; maybe it’s due for a rewatch.
Pope Leo is set to host a variety of actors and directors this Saturday as part of the Church’s ongoing Holy Year celebrations, including Cate Blanchett, Chris Pine, Viggo Mortensen, Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Adam Scott, Monica Bellucci, Spike Lee, George Miller, Giuseppe Tornatore, and Gus Van Sant. According to the Vatican, the gathering aims to “deepen dialogue with the world of cinema … exploring the possibilities that artistic creativity offers to the mission of the Church and the promotion of human values.“
